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Building HVAC Science — Education
Building HVAC Science

Exploring the science, people, and practices shaping better buildings.

The Building HVAC Science Podcast dives into both the technical and human sides of heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and building performance. Hosted by industry veteran Bill Spohn, CEO and co-owner of TruTech Tools, the show reflects Bill’s passion for advancing the HVAC craft through practical knowledge, curiosity, and conversation.

With more than 250 episodes and counting, the podcast features discussions with contractors, distributors, manufacturers, educators, and thought leaders from across the HVAC and building science communities. Each episode blends field experience with broader industry perspective, helping professionals stay ahead of trends, sharpen their skills, and build stronger businesses.

Topics include:

New tools, technologies, and field practices
Real-world case studies and lessons learned
Building performance, comfort, and indoor air quality
Industry innovation, workforce development, and the human side of the trades

Whether you’re a technician in the field, a business owner, a manufacturer, or simply curious about how buildings breathe and perform, Building HVAC Science connects you with the ideas and voices moving the industry forward.

Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

This show is a production of TruTech Tools®, LTD.

Latest Episodes:

EP260 Live From AHR 2026: Tools, Tactics, and Trade Stories From the Show Floor (February 2026) Mar 06, 2026

Show notes

Quotes from the episode:

"If you're not measuring, you're just arguing with opinions."

"The tools got better, but what really changed is the technician mindset."

"We used to diagnose systems one reading at a time. Now we see the whole story live."

Recorded live at 9:00 a.m. on Day 1 of the AHR Expo 2026 in Las Vegas, this episode of the Building HVAC Science Podcast captures the spirit of the industry in real time. Bill and Eric kick things off reflecting on their decades of AHR attendance, the miles walked, vendors visited, and friendships built along the way. They're joined on the floor by Chris Fabre and Dave Cornette of Hughes Mechanical in Zachary, Louisiana, who share perspectives from the commercial service and construction sides of the trade.

The conversation dives into how contractor learning has evolved, from early podcast forums and Facebook groups to today's hyper-connected social media ecosystem. Chris and Dave talk candidly about being called in to fix improperly installed systems, how that forced growth sharpened their diagnostic skills, and why measurement tools have become indispensable. From airflow testing to wireless probes, they reflect on how modern instrumentation has transformed troubleshooting from guesswork into data-driven decision making.

They also touch on highlights from the HVAC Tactical Awards, industry legends like John Pastorello, and the growing role of apps, workflows, and integrated digital tools in technician performance. The episode wraps with a discussion around contractor accountability, Better HVAC's mission, and how directories and verified credentials can help homeowners find professionals committed to continuous learning, ethical work, and measured results.

Chris' LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-fabre-2a2b5933/

Their business: http://www.hughesmechanical.net/

This episode was recorded in February 2026.

EP259 Donkey Wrangler to HVAC Whisperer: Brad Adcox on Fundamentals That Win (January 2026) Feb 27, 2026

Show notes

Pithy quotes

"Your product can be great, but if you're hard to work with, nobody's going to buy it."
"Take a deep breath, go back to the fundamentals, and ask: what's the biggest value I can add today?"
"You're allowed to say, 'I don't know. I'll figure it out for you.' People respect that more than the runaround."

Brad Adcox joined the Building HVAC Science podcast with Bill and Eric and, within minutes, earned the unofficial title "donkey wrangler" after sharing a story about his donkey. The laughs kept coming, including a side quest into hobby-farm life on a 40-acre "family compound" outside Dallas with cows, donkeys, mini horses, and a long-running plan by Brad's dad to eventually acquire a camel. The banter was fun, but it also set the tone for who Brad is: practical, observant, and very people-focused.

Brad's HVAC background runs deep and wide. He grew up around wholesale, started at Winsupply in the warehouse and as a delivery driver, then moved through outside sales and even a stint selling and building Cisco server infrastructure. He eventually joined SUPCO, helped scale territory coverage and rep networks, and was part of launching TradeFox, the influencer-inventor program that surfaced a pile of real-world products, including the magnetic umbrella that Bill notes TruTech sold in big numbers. Brad later spent time at NAVAC teaching fundamentals like pulling a proper vacuum, and today he's in a "free agent" phase, running consultant-style sales and service training for contractors in the DFW area.

The core of Brad's message is fundamentals, especially customer service and relationship transfer. He's worried the industry is headed for a knowledge cliff as experienced wholesalers, reps, and counter people retire without passing down relationships or practical know-how. He also sees a drift toward "parts changers" and automated, text-only customer interactions that reduce real human connection. In his local classes, he pushes techs to slow down just enough to add value: communicate like a neighbor, do a fuller system check while you're already there, explain what you looked at, and offer small, memorable extras. He's also blunt about wholesale basics: greet people when they walk in, be willing to say "I don't know, but I'll find out," and stop hiding behind "that's just Facebook" when customer sentiment is being broadcast publicly.

Brad's: LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/brad-adcox-1a070467/

This episode was recorded in January 2026.

EP258 Live From AHR 2026: Tools, Tactics, and Trade Stories From the Show Floor With the Team from TruTech (February 2026) Feb 20, 2026

Show notes

"AHR isn't just a product show, it's where you see the future of the trade taking shape in real time."

"Training, technology, and community are finally moving at the same speed."

"Exhausting in the best possible way, that's how you know it was a great show."

Fresh off the floor of AHR Expo 2026 in Las Vegas, the TruTech Tools team jumps on the mic to share firsthand impressions from one of the HVAC industry's biggest gatherings. From Ginny's perspective as a first-time attendee navigating miles of booths and crowds, to seasoned takes from Eric, Sue, Billy, and you, the conversation blends product insights with the human side of the event. AHR once again proved to be equal parts technology showcase, relationship builder, and industry pulse check.

The team highlights standout innovations across tools and test instruments. Knipex impressed with precision German-engineered hand tools, while NAVAC, CPS, and other manufacturers expanded digital manifold and smart probe ecosystems. Uniweld's move into smart tools, new battery-platform flexibility, and firmware-driven analyzers signaled the continued shift toward connected diagnostics. Thermal imaging advances by testo, high-accuracy electrical measurement from UEi, and training simulators also reinforced how fast field technology is evolving.

Beyond products, the episode underscores the culture of the trade. From Tactical Awards recognition to High-Performance Hangout networking and young entrepreneurs launching companies at 18, the future of HVAC felt energized. The conversation closes with reflections on industry momentum, BetterHVAC's growing traction, and a shared sense that innovation, education, and community are accelerating together.

This episode was recorded in February 2026.

EP257 From Rockets to Heat Pumps: Shreyas Sudhakar on Scaling Quality HVAC (January 2026) Feb 13, 2026

Show notes

Pithy quotes

"We do our job well if the homeowner forgets about us, because the system just works."
"The bar is so low in some homes that doing a quality install can genuinely change someone's life."
"The best way to learn is crawling in the crawl space behind a great technician and handing them tools."
Semi-famous quote that fits our theme "Stay hungry, stay foolish." © Steve Jobs

Shreyas Sudhakar joined the Building HVAC Science podcast to talk about his path from rocket propulsion engineering to building high-quality heat pump installs in California. Bill and Eric found him through his thoughtful LinkedIn posts, and Shreyas shared that a friend's relentless heat-pump evangelism finally pushed him to look deeper. Once he did, the tech clicked. He realized HVAC and rockets share the same core idea: moving energy through systems, and the math is not as far apart as it sounds.

What really pulled him in was the homeowner experience. After talking with homeowners on Nextdoor and Reddit, and even calling contractors for quotes himself, he kept hearing the same frustrations: heat pumps feel expensive, contractor advice is inconsistent, trust is low, and myths like "heat pumps don't work in the cold" still show up, even in mild California climates. Shreyas' view is simple: most homeowners do not care what the equipment is called. They care about comfort, noise, bills, and safety, and the best outcome is when the system is so reliable they barely think about it.

Shreyas now runs Vayu, a lean heat pump installation company operating with vetted subcontractor partners, while his Heat Pumped newsletter and podcast focus on education for homeowners, technicians, and policy folks. Vayu handles the end-to-end process, from load sizing and equipment selection to permits and rebates, while partner shops focus on the craft of installation. His definition of success is not just a happy install day, but a customer still loving the system a decade later, and technicians thriving because the model removes desk work and supports quality work at scale.

Shreyas' LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shreyassudhakar/

His websites: https://www.vayu.pro/about & https://www.heatpumped.org/

HeatPumped Newsletter sign up: https://www.heatpumped.org/subscribe

Heat Pumped Podcast: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/heat-pumped/

This episode was recorded in January 2026

EP256 The Woodstock of HVAC: Why This Symposium Hits Different With the TruTech Team (January 2026) Feb 06, 2026

Show notes

Episode quotes:

"What you put into this, you get out of this in multiples."

"It's not about sales. It's about learning, relationships, and leaving your ego at the door."

"Use AI responsibly, but keep the humans involved. The humans are what keep it honest."

In this episode of the Building HVAC Science Podcast, Eric Kaiser, Bill, and the TruTech Tools crew (Billy Spohn, Ginny Hebert, and Josh Crawley) recap their trip to the 7th Annual HVACR Training Symposium in Ocoee, Florida. Josh and Ginny share first-timer impressions: early-morning booth setup, instant attendee engagement, a surprisingly family-friendly outdoor vibe (kids and dogs everywhere), and the general "people are here to learn, not to get sold to" energy. The group talks about how rare it is to see a community where respect and curiosity are the default.

They also dig into the most memorable moments and crowd magnets: the GRIT Foundation dunk tank fundraiser, Jim Bergmann's talk on using AI responsibly (in conjunction with real measurements), and hands-on booth favorites like the Shaeco fin straightener demo, the RETROTEC"air tracer," and continued interest in specialized tools like the TrueFlow grid and torque screwdrivers. Billy highlights a renewed surge of questions around combustion analyzers and why the industry seems to cycle back to them, while Eric frames it simply: you cannot fix what you cannot see.

To close, everyone answers the question of why the symposium matters, in person or virtually. The consistent theme is relationships, peer learning, and a network that lasts long after the event. Bill caps it with a challenge: what you put into this community, you get back in multiples, and it can genuinely be career-changing.

Symposium link: https://www.hvacrschool.com/events/7th-annual-hvac-r-training-symposium/

ELK's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-kaiser-323a1563/

Josh's LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-crawley-20b41550/

Ginny's LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ginny-hebert/

Billy's LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/billy-spohn-jr-a06201a3/

Bill's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billspohn/

This episode was recorded in January 2026.

EP255 Beyond Manual J: The Heat Balance Future of Residential Load Calculations With Tony Amadio (December 2025) Jan 30, 2026

Show notes

Notable quote from the episode: Make it as simple as possible, but not simpler.

In this episode, Eric Kaiser sits down with mechanical engineer Tony Amadio, the founder of True Loads, to talk about what actually makes residential load calculations succeed or fail in the real world. Tony shares how his work is split between builders, architects, project managers, and HVAC contractors, and why the biggest early battle was simply getting people to trust results that pointed to smaller equipment. He explains how he quickly learned from feedback loops in production housing, including what happens when people "over-vent" tiny spaces like closets and bathrooms, accidentally stealing airflow from bedrooms where it matters.

Tony walks through his approach to receiving plans, emphasizing the importance of nailing down the building envelope inputs (windows, insulation, attic conditions) and getting key assumptions in writing. On renovations, he emphasizes that uncertainty is normal, so you lean on photos, field verification, and practical guidance to keep the model honest. They dig into infiltration and leakage, where Tony argues the models are still imperfect even with blower door data, and the real win is setting expectations: the HVAC design works under specific building conditions, and if the building does not match those conditions, performance issues are not automatically "bad calcs."

The conversation closes with a discussion of equipment selection, humidity, and where the industry is headed. Tony makes a clear point: most standard residential systems do not directly control humidity, and the code focuses on temperature performance, not a promised indoor RH target. They also touch on ACCA Manual S updates, oversizing rules for staged equipment, and Tony's upcoming True Loads software, which uses the ASHRAE Heat Balance method to represent modern construction and time-lag effects better, while aiming to require fewer inputs than traditional Manual J workflows.

TrueLoads website: https://1dtrueloads.com/

Tony on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-amadio-pe-7360952a/

This episode was recorded in December 2025.

EP254 Mold, Moisture, and Missed Details: Lessons From the Building Science Trenches With Kohta Ueno (January 2026) Jan 23, 2026

Show notes

QUOTES from the episode:

"Most building failures aren't mysterious. They're just ignored fundamentals."

"If you demand museum-level humidity, you're no longer building a house. You're building a museum."

"Moisture meters don't solve problems. They show you patterns. The thinking solves the problem."

In this episode of the Building HVAC Science Podcast, Eric Kaiser is joined by Kohta Ueno, principal and co-owner of Building Science Corporation, for a wide-ranging discussion on building failures, moisture, HVAC, and the practical realities of diagnosing real-world problems. Kohta shares his unconventional path into building science, from small remodeling jobs and a PBS NOVA episode to decades of forensic investigations alongside Joe Lstiburek, one of the field's most influential voices. The conversation quickly moves from origin stories into what really matters: how buildings fail, why those failures are often predictable, and how much cheaper it is to solve problems on paper than after construction.

A major theme is moisture management, especially in high-performance and multifamily buildings. Kohta explains how seemingly small details, like window sill slope, back dams, airflow settings, and interior air seals, routinely separate durable buildings from expensive failures. He also highlights a growing perfect storm in modern construction: oversized HVAC equipment, high ventilation rates, poor commissioning, and limited dehumidification, particularly in smaller units. The result is mold, humidity complaints, and systems that technically run but fail to control moisture.

The episode closes with a practical look at diagnostic tools and methods. Kohta emphasizes pattern recognition over single-point measurements, combining moisture meters, thermal imaging, pressure diagnostics, and blower door testing to understand how air, heat, and moisture actually move through buildings. He encourages listeners to use freely available Building Science Corporation research and Joe Lstiburek's Building Science Insights as foundational resources, reminding the audience that most building failures are not mysterious. They are repeatable, understandable, and avoidable if the fundamentals are respected.

Kohta's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kohta-ueno-472a4/

Links mentioned in the episode:

Our Current HVAC Mess

Experts discuss problems with residential HVAC systems as a first step toward defining solutions

https://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/article/our-current-hvac-mess

Proposed Solutions for Residential HVAC Problems

Experts suggest ways to improve the quality of residential heating, ventilating, and cooling equipment installations

https://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/article/proposed-solutions-for-the-residential-hvac-industry

A presentation on my investigations of multifamily humidity problems:

Multifamily Humidity Control Problems: Muggy Mayhem

https://buildingscience.com/sites/default/files/presentation-docs/2021-05-06_nesea_be21_muggy_mayhem_ueno_for_pdf_0.pdf

I have done a presentation on the diagnostic tools I use in my buildings forensic work; here's the slide deck:

NESEA BE19 Tools of the Trade for Building Diagnostics

March 14, 2019

https://www.buildingscience.com/sites/default/files/2019-03-14_nesea_be19_ueno_tools_trade_diagnostics_for_pdf.pdf

2019-03-14_NESEA_BE19_Ueno_Tools_Trade_Diagnostics.pdf

And here's a YouTube video:

Tools of the Trade for Building Diagnostics with Kohta Ueno

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCZIJFXDl9Q&t=2978s&ab_channel=TheBSandBeerShow

The complete rundown of Joe Lstiburek's columns:

https://buildingscience.com/document-search?search_title=&search=&field_doc_topics=All&field_doc_document_type=3&items_per_page=10

And some of the research reports we did under Building America:

https://buildingscience.com/document-search?search_title=&search=&field_doc_topics=All&field_doc_document_type=8&items_per_page=10

This episode was recorded in January 2026.

EP253 The HVAC Trust Gap, and the Directory Built to Close It With Kevin R. Hart, Huff Hoffmaster & Darren Reuter (January 2026) Jan 16, 2026

Show notes

Quotes from the episode:

"Better isn't a goal, it's a direction."

"HVAC can feel like a house of mirrors for homeowners, and the cure is transparency plus measured results."

"We're not trying to find the perfect contractor. We're trying to find the contractor who keeps learning and won't get complacent."

In this episode of the Building HVAC Science Podcast, Eric Kaiser flips the script and brings Bill Spohn on as a guest alongside Kevin Hart from Better HVAC and Darren Reuter and Huff Hoffmaster from Rewiring America. The group lays out a shared problem: homeowners face a significant information disadvantage when buying HVAC, often making a five-figure decision with no easy way to verify quality beyond marketing, promises, or price. That gap leads to mistrust, inconsistent outcomes, and too many "box swaps" that miss sizing, duct performance, commissioning, and homeowner education.

Better HVAC exists to tip the odds back toward the homeowner by connecting people to contractors and individuals who commit to doing measured, commissioned work, and by aggregating trusted educational resources in one place. Rewiring America adds the consumer education and electrification planning layer, plus a push to scale adoption responsibly, with real contractor standards behind it. The partnership ties those strengths together: instead of building separate directories, they align on a shared pledge and a badging approach that helps homeowners and peers filter for contractors who are trained, insured, licensed, and willing to follow best practices, especially for heat pumps and whole-home electrification journeys that also include weatherization and energy auditing.

Rewiring America's website: https://www.rewiringamerica.org/

BetterHVAC website:https://betterhvac.org/

BetterHVAC Pledge: https://betterhvac.org/pledge

Huff's LinkedIn :https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-huff-hoffmaster-ii-766b3a36/

Kevin's LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinrhart/ Darren's LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrenreuter98/

Bill's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billspohn/

Corbett's list: https://homediagnosis.tv/hvac-installers

This episode was recorded in January 2026

EP252 The Perfection Trap in the Trades With Eric Kaiser (December 2025) Jan 09, 2026

Show notes

Quotes from the episode:

"Good enough isn't a fixed point. It's a moving target shaped by goals, expectations, and consequences."

"Perfection can push us forward, but it can also quietly pull us off track."

"If I delivered what I promised, in the time promised, using the resources promised, that is good enough for me."

"The real skill is knowing when extra effort adds value and when it just adds ego."

In this solo monologue episode, Eric Kaiser explores a deceptively simple question: Can good enough be perfect? Drawing on years of experience in the trades, Eric reflects on how deeply perfectionism runs in technical work and how it can both elevate quality and quietly work against efficiency, clarity, and outcomes.

Using a favorite quote from Dan Holohan, Eric reframes "good enough" not as mediocrity, but as work that meets the right goals, expectations, and time horizons. He walks through practical parameters that define when good enough truly is perfect, including the intended lifespan of the work, customer and regulatory expectations, available resources, and the real consequences of pushing beyond what the situation requires.

Eric closes by offering a simple but powerful three-question test to evaluate our own work:

Did I deliver what was promised?

Was it done in the promised timeframe?

And did I use the promised resources?

If the answer is yes to all three, then maybe, just maybe, the work was perfectly good enough.

This episode was recorded in December 2025.

EP251 Innovation in HVAC: The Quiet Shifts That Matter Most With Bill Spohn (December 2025) Jan 02, 2026

Show notes

Quotes from the Episode:

"Innovation in HVAC isn't one big breakthrough. It's a series of quieter shifts that slowly change how we work."

"The future of HVAC depends on the people who measure, verify, and continuously improve."

"Collecting data is getting easier. Interpreting it well is where the real value lives."

"True innovation isn't about chasing trends. It's about reducing uncertainty and delivering better outcomes."

"Homes aren't a collection of parts. They're systems, and HVAC sits right in the middle of that system."

In this solo episode, Bill Spohn reflects on how innovation in HVAC really happens, not through one flashy breakthrough, but through a series of quieter, incremental shifts that compound over time. Drawing from 250 episodes of conversations on the Building HVAC Science podcast, Bill reframes innovation as a mindset grounded in measurement, feedback, and systems thinking rather than just new equipment.

Bill walks through key patterns he has observed across the industry, including the shift from equipment-focused thinking to system-level performance, the rise of connected and cloud-based field tools, and the growing role of software in interpreting data rather than just collecting it. He highlights how smart tools, real-time diagnostics, commissioning workflows, and platforms like MeasureQuick have changed troubleshooting, accountability, and profitability for contractors who embrace them.

The episode also explores major themes shaping the future of HVAC: electrification and heat pumps, dual-fuel strategies, improved load calculations and design software, smarter controls and commissioning, and the rapid evolution of indoor air quality from a niche topic to a core expectation. Bill emphasizes the increasing integration of HVAC with building science, ventilation, moisture, and enclosure performance, and points to contractors who are thriving by treating homes as complete systems. He closes by reinforcing that true innovation is about reducing uncertainty, improving outcomes, and supporting continuous learning, all while encouraging listeners to explore BetterHVAC as a growing nonprofit resource for contractors and homeowners alike.

This episode was recorded in December 2025.

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